


Unravelled Threads

by BarPurple



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Post Season 7, Rumbelle do not appear but this is about them
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-06-13
Updated: 2018-06-13
Packaged: 2019-05-21 20:07:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14922017
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BarPurple/pseuds/BarPurple
Summary: A Census of the United Realms reveals a few dozen surprises for Regina and Henry.





	Unravelled Threads

Regina clenched her fists so tightly her knuckles cracked. Queen of the United Realms sounded like a grand thing, but it meant more administration than Storybrooke and all without the benefit of computers. She missed her PC. While most things from the Land without Magic could be adapted to work here computers were proving stubbornly resistant, probably something to do with software updates not mixing well with magic.

She forced her hands to relax and tried to focus on one of the breathing exercises that Jiminy had suggested. Two calming breathes later, and she was interrupted by the sound of her chamber door opening and the rapid clip of hurried steps. She opened her eyes and smiled at Henry.

“I think I’ve worked out the Rumplestiltskin Thing.”

The Rumplestiltskin Thing had come to light when she had ordered a Census. It was important to know who was who in the new realm, it made dealing with the odd squabbles and rivalries easier. Not once had she had expected to see the name of her friend and mentor on the scrolls, and certainly not two dozen times.

Henry flipped open the storybook and lay it on the desk in front of here.

“I’ve been going through all their stories and this is the moment where all of their stories diverge.”

Regina read the page and frowned. This was the moment that the Black Fairy had severed Rumple from his Fate. Henry tapped his finger against the illustration.

“Now look closely at the picture, do you see the thread that’s still attached to baby Rumple?”

She leaned over and studied the short fragment of thread that was linked to the heart of the baby; “It’s unravelled.”

Henry grinned and began pacing as he talked, she wasn’t sure where this habit had come from, but in these moments, he looked so much like Rumple that is made her smile.

“Okay, so time in the Black Fairy’s Realm was all over the place, a million times more messed up than Neverland. I think that’s how come they are all about the same age even though they’ve all lived vastly different time.”

Regina blinked, this was more confusing than the time Henry had tried to explain Doctor Who to her. Her blank look made Henry’s brow crease; “Did that make any sense, never mind, the temporal anomalies of various realms aren’t what’s important. What’s important is that up until this point this was the only Rumplestiltskin.”

“That’s not possible, we’ve got multiple versions of everyone else.”

Henry sighed; “No we haven’t. I’ve explained this. We’ve got individuals whose stories share certain aspects. Look at Cinderella, we’ve got Ashley, Jacinda, Derek, and the others. They’re not the same person, but they have lived similar stories. It’s different with Rumplestiltskin because there was only one of him, but by severing his Fate the Black Fairy inadvertently created hundreds of him.”

Regina nodded. That actually made some sort of sense. Where as the various Cinderellas were nothing alike in terms of personality or looks, every Rumplestiltskin wore the face of the man she had known. It had been such a shock when she had first seen three of them together she’d almost swooned; and swooning was not something she did. They even shared his dry, sardonic humour and some of his more extravagant gestures.

“So, we have split Rumples, but why didn’t these ones die when our Rumple destroyed the Dark One Curse?”

Henry grinned, “Because these Rumples never became the Dark One. Some fought in the Ogres War and went home heroes; some did run away and met Zozo, but they ordered him to defeat the Ogres and then found a way to free him from the Dagger; some of them went back to Neverland and beat Peter Pan. Somehow, they all led lives similar to the one we know for Rumplestiltskin, but they made different choices.”

Regina smiled, partly from relief that they didn’t have dozens of stray Dark Ones to deal with, and partly because once again, many times over Rumplestiltskin had found a way to buck against what the world expected of him.

“They have one other thing in common.”

“What’s would that be, Henry?”

“They all have Belle. Every one of them. I can’t explain how there are so many versions of her, and how no matter what course Rumple’s life took they still found each other.”

Regina laughed softly; “That’s an easy one. Belle and Rumple, Beauty and the Beast, that’s a True Love that nothing can get between.”


End file.
